Wheeled golf bag



Sept. 1, 1959 Filed Oct. 24, 1957 M. J. ELIAS WHEELED GOLF BAG 2Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR M/luQ/CE (I inns ZMMWW ATTORNEY p 9 M. J. ELIAS2,902,287

WBEELED GOLF BAG Filed Oct. 24, 1957 T12 5. 58 fii: INVENTOR T l vWM/Z/MW ATTORNEY 2,902,287 WHEELED .GOLE BAG Maurice J. Elias,Hempstead; N.Y. Application October 24, '1957, S eria'lNo- 692,119.-

Claims; (Cl."-280'38)- The present invention relates generally to.improve.- ments in wheeled receptacles and itrelatcsmore. par.-ticularly to an improved golf bag. provided with retractable wheelspermitting the easy transportationof. the loaded golf bag.

It has become a common practice in recent years to employ a cart insteadof a. caddy'to. carry a golf: bag along the golf course. These carts.generally consist of a relatively large framework provided withla,handle and a pair of wheels and having means for carryingva golf bag.The cart, while facilitating the transportation of the golf bag alongthe golf; course, represents1 av bulky piece of equipment, difiicult to.carry andstore when not in use and at best. an expensive andinconvenientdevice. It has been. previously proposed to. attach wheels directly tothe golf bag but these would. result in a complex, expensive andunattractive arrangement.

It is thus a principal=object of the present invention toprovide animproved wheeled receptacle.

Another object of the present-inventionisto provide an improved. golfbag.

Still another object ofthepresent invention is;to.p r o1- vide animproved golf bag. having wheels. to.f.acilitate the transportation ofthegolf. bag,

A further object of. the present invention is topro vide an improvedgolf bag havingv wheels which arereadily retractable out of. sightinto.receptacles forming part of the golf bag.

Still a further object of 'the present. invention is. to provide animproved golf bag having retractable. wheels. and a retractable handle'to. facilitate. the. transportation of the golf bag and which permits.the supporting ofthe. golf bag in an erect position.

The above and other objects: of the present invention will becomeapparent from a readingof the following description, taken in.conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure l is a front perspective view ofQthje improved golf bag,illustrated in operative condition;

Figure 2 is a front perspective. view of theframe and handle member ofthe improved golf b.ag;,

Figure 3 is a bottom plan view thereof, oneof the wheels beingillustrated in operative positionand the other wheel being illustratedin retracted position;

Figure 4 is a sectional viewtaken alongline, 4-4 in Figure 3; V

Figure 5 is a detail view, partially broken away, of the wheel andsupporting bracket in retractedposition;

Figure 6 is an enlarged sectional view. taken along. line 66 in Figure5;

Figure 7 is a sectional. view taken. along. line. 7..7. in Figure 6; I

Figure 8 is a longitudinal sectional view. of. the. upper handle portionof the golf bag,. the handle, being shown. in extended position; i

Figure 9 is an illustration similar to. Figure 8,-. the, handle beingshown in stored position;

nited States Patent" 01 Patented Sept. 1, 1959 Figure 10, is asectionalview-takenalongline;10%10 inFigure. 8; and.

ligurell is;-a front elevational viewof the bag,- il lustrated'andvsupported in anerect position.

In a sense, the presentinvention contemplates the. provision ofanimproved wheeled golf bag comprising a frame; member; a receptaclecarried by said frame member and having.;an access; opening formedin-thei top thereof and defining; the. golf; bag;-.a pair of:pockets.located along opposite sides of the bottom of said golf, bag; apair ofbrackets; disposed adjacent the bottonrofi said golf'bag, each ofsaidbrackets comprising. a'horie zontal shaft slidably.androtatably'engaging said frame and projecting in opposite directions:therefrom, and. an arm angularly extending frornwsaid. shaft andterminating in an inwardly directsdjaxle; a. wheeLmounted-on each-ofsaid axles, saidiwheelsbeing movablebetween. an advanced positionbelow.the;,1e.vel of saidbag anda retracted position registering with said.pockets; and locking means mountedjaathebottom of. said receptacle andreleasably engaging-said; axles.

Referring now. to the drawings. which illustrate a preferred embodimentof thepresent invention, the numeral 10. generally designatesa frame.member including a pair of main upright laterally spaced tubular:members 11 providedslightly abovetheir lower portion with outwardlydirected convexities 12. between which extends a tube 13;communicating-with end openings 14,v formed on the outer faces; of. the.convexities 12; The upper. ends of the tubular members 11 are connectedby. a

tubular. cross-warm lfiwhich. is integral with the Inern-. bers 11. Thelower ends of the. members 11 are con-..

nected. by a. crossrod... Rmjecting forwardly. from the upperandlowcrends of; the. upright members 11 are- U-shaped members'17;18*respectively which are interconnectedby laterally spaced verticalrodsIQ -to complete-the framelfi.

A receptacle; 20, defining the. golf bag per se, nestswithin the framelllandis secured theretoinaconven. tionalfashion by vertical-lines ofstitching which pass through the golf bag 20.-and.through theedgesofstrips- 21- formed of leather .or thelike which cover. thevertical frame members 11 and 19. The upper edge of-the. bag is secured;to the U-shaped member-.17 in the usual fashion. A relatively rigid basemember 22 having an upright pereipheral wall;23.:.enga-ges the. lowerU;-shap.ed member 18 and the lower; portion ofthe golf bag,being'suitably secured. thereto in any well known. manner.

Positioned along the. front; face of the bag 20 are a carrying handle2.4. and. a. separable shoulder strap 26' as well as a; zippered pouch27. A. pair of wheel storing pockets 28 arepositioned on opposite sidesof the bag ZO and-are eachformed' of a panel having itsupper and sideedges secured-to the side walls of'the bag with means for closing same.

A bearing block 30 isaflixed' to the outer portionof; each of the'convexities 12 by means of screws 32 pass: ing through aligned openingsformed in the. block 30' and the strip 21 and engaging tapped openingsformed. Each of the blocks 3}) is, provided with a transverse boreSlalignecl with the tubur in the tubular member 11.

lar member 13 and corresponding openings formed. in.

It should be noted that the lower opening in the pocket may likewise beprovided the vertical member 11. Rotatably and slidably engaging thebores 33 are the horizontal shafts 34 of oppositely disposed bracketmembers 36, the inner portions 37 of the shafts 34 being ofsemi-circular cross section, the portions 37 of the opposite brackets 36interfitting when the brackets 36 are in their innermost position andsimilarly oriented. The outer end of each of the shafts 34 is providedwith a radially extending leg 38 terminat ing in an inwardly directedaxle 39. The brackets 36 are thus rotatable about the shaft 34 and arelaterally slidable within the bearing block bore 33 and the tubularmember 13, the shaft 34 being provided with longitudinally spacedoppositely directed flats 40. A thumb screw engages a tapped openingformed in the block 39 and communicating with the bore 33 and is adaptedto engage alternate flats 40 to lock the bracket 36 in a dependingextended position or in a retracted upper position, as will behereinafter set forth. Mounted on each of the axles 39 is atire-carrying wheel 41 which is spaced from the inner end of the axle 39and maintained in position by a cotter pin 42 engaging an opening in theaxle 39.

An arrangement for locking the brackets 36 in their extended positionand for imparting rigidity thereto includes an underplate 43 suitablysecured to the bottom face of the base 23. A relatively rigidtransversely extending strip 44 is provided with a raised portion 46which extends across the underplate 43 adjacent the free edge thereofand outwardly extending arms 47 abutting the underface of the base 23. Apair of tubular bracket locking members 48 have their inner endsflattened as at 49 and are pivotally connected to the arms 47 and thebase 23 by means of rivets 50 which pass through aligned openings formedin the locking member ends 49, strip arms 47 and base 23.

A flat leaf spring 51 is disposed below the strip 44 and extendsparallel thereto, the inner ends 49 of the bracket locking members 48being sandwiched between the confronting faces of the leaf spring 51 andthe strip arms 47 to resiliently maintain the locking members 48 in anyset position. The leaf spring 51 and the strip 44 are maintained inassembled condition and secured to the base 23 by means of a screw 52passing through aligned openings formed in the spring 51 and the strip44 and engaging a tapped opening formed in the underplate 43.

A handle engaging sleeve 56 is provided with oppositely directedtrunnions 57 which rotatably engage openings formed in the tubular framemembers 11 a short distance below the upper ends thereof. Formed in thesleeve 56 is a bayonet slot 58 which is provided with an inwardlydirected flared opening. A handle 59 includes a tubular portion 60 whichslidably registers with the sleeve 56 and is provided at its inner endwith an outwardly directed flange 61 which prevents disengagementbetween the sleeve 56 and the tubular member 68. An outwardly directedpin 63 is mounted on the tubular member 60 shortly rearwardly of theflange 61 and is adapted to engage the sleeve bayonet slots 58 toreleasably lock the tubular rod 68 in an extended position in whichposition the flange 61 substantially abuts the inner edge of the sleeve56. The handle 59 also includes an extension portion 64 whichtelescopically engages the tubular portion 60 and may be locked in anydesired position by means of a conventional arrangement including aknurled collar 65.

An arcuately shaped latching arm 66 has its inner end pivotallyconnected to a bracket 67 mounted on the frame member upper bridgeportion 16 midway between the uprights 11. A recess 68 is formed in theouter edge of the latching arm 66 adjacent its free end and a curvedleaf spring 69 is secured to the inner edge of the latching arm 66opposite the recess 68. Inner and outer longitudinally spaced slots 70and 71 are formed in the upper face of the tu ular member 60. Thelatchin arms 66 when engaging the slot 71, locks the handle 59 in aslightly upwardly inclined direction to facilitate the pushing of thegolf bag as illustrated in Figure 1 of the drawing and when engaging theslot 70, locks the handle 59 in a downwardly inclined position to permitthe support of the golf bag in a substantially erect position asillustrated in Figure 11 of the drawings. The spring 69 resilientlymaintains the recess 68 in engagement with an edge of a selected slot 70or 71. By pressing the latching arm 66 inwardly against the spring 69disengagement between the latching arm 66 and handle 59 may be effected.

An opening 72 is formed in the golf bag 20 to permit the movement of thehandle 59 to a storage position within the golf bag and to an operativeposition for the support of the golf bag or for the wheeledtransportation thereof. A cover flap 73 has its lower edge secured tothe golf bag at a point below the opening 72 and is provided with femalesnap fastener elements 74 which are adapted to releasably engagecorresponding male snap fastener elements 76 carried on the bag 20 topermit the closing of the opening 76 and the housing of the latchingarms 66 when these are in inoperative position as illustrated in Figure9 of the drawing.

When the improved golf bag described above is not in use the extension64 is completely nested within the tubular handle portion 60 and isdisposed within the golf bag 20 as illustrated in Figure 9 of thedrawing, the latching arm 66 depending from the bracket 67 and beingenclosed by the flap 73. The wheels 41 are located within the closedpockets 28, the bracket arms 36 being upwardly and inwardly disposedwith the split ends 37 of the shafts 34 interfitting within the tube 13,the thumb screws 41 tightly engaging the outer shaft flats 46. Thelocking members 48 are turned inwardly as illustrated in the right handside of Figure 3.

In the above condition the improved golf bag appears I to beconventional, being highly attractive in appearance and giving noindication of the wheel and handle arrangement. In order to place thegolf bag in the wheeled condition the pockets 28 are opened byseparating the fasteners 29 and loosening the thumb screws 41'. Thebrackets 36 are shifted to their outer position and are then rotated toa depending position. The locking members 48 are swung outwardly intoalignment with the axles 39 and the brackets 36 are slid inwardly toeffect engagement between the locking member 48 and the inner end of theaxle 39 at which time the inner flat 40 is aligned with the thumb screw41 which is then tightened. The flap 73 is opened and the handle 59 slidalong the sleeve 56 out through the opening 72, the pin 63 being broughtinto locking engagement with the bayonet slot 58. The extension 64 ispulled out and locked in its extended position. Thereafter, the latchingarm 66 is brought into engagement with the slot 71 as illustrated inFigures 1 and 8 of the drawings, in which position the handle inclinesupwardly and the golf bag is ready for wheeling. In the event it isdesired to support the golf bag in an erect position, the latching armis disengaged from the slot 71, the handle 59 is swung downwardly andthe latching arm 66 brought into engagement with the slot 70. In orderto return the bag to its original condition the above procedure ismerely reversed.

While there has been described and illustrated a preferred embodiment ofthe present invention, it is apparent that numerous alterations andomissions may be made without departing from the spirit thereof.

What I claim is:

1. An improved wheeled golf. bag comprising a frame member, a receptaclecarried by said frame member and having an access opening formed in thetop thereof and defining the golf bag, apair of pockets located alongopposite sides of the bottom of said golf bag, a pair of bracketsdisposed adjacent the bottom of said golf bag, each of said bracketscomprising a horizontal shaft slidably and rotatably engaging said frameand projecting in opposite directions therefrom, and an arm angularlyextending from said shaft and terminating in an inwardly directed axle,a wheel mounted on each of said axles, said wheels being movable withsaid brackets between an advanced position below the level of said bagand a retracted position registering with said pockets, and meansreleasably locking said brackets and wheels in said advanced position,including arms located along the lower part of said golf bag releasablyengaging said axles.

2. An improved golf bag in accordance with claim 1, wherein said lockingarms are of tubular configuration and separably register with saidaxles.

3. An improved golf bag in accordance with claim 1, including alongitudinally extending handle mounted on said frame member and movablebetween a position within said bag and a position projecting rearwardlythereof.

4. An improved golf bag in accordance with claim 3, including means forselectively releasably latching said handle in an upwardly or downwardlyinclined position.

5. An improved wheeled golf bag comprising a frame, member, a receptaclecarried by said frame member and having an access opening formed in thetop thereof and defining a golf bag, a pair of pockets located alongopposite sides of the bottom of said galf bag, a pair of bracketsdisposed adjacent the bottom of said golf bag, each of said bracketscomprising a horizontal shaft rotatably engaging said frame andprojecting in opposite directions therefrom, and an arm angularlyextending from said shaft and terminating in an inwardly directed axle,said brackets being inwardly and outwardly slidably relative to saidframe member and the inner ends of said shafts mutually interfittingwhen said brackets are in their innermost position, a wheel mounted oneach of said axles, said wheels being movable with said brackets betweenan advanced position below the level of said bag, and a retractedposition registering with said pockets, and means releasably lockingsaid brackets and wheels in said advanced position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS D.161,249 Darr Dec. 19, 1950 1,249,489 Powers Dec. 11, 1917 2,446,137Krueger July 27, 1948 2,468,390 Binz Apr. 26, 1949 2,590,178 JamisonMar. 25, 1952 2,632,655 King Mar. 24, 1953 2,760,782 Hartzell Aug. 28,1956

